CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Herbal and Holistic Perspectives

MATTHEW WOOD

 

A note from the author: It is now clear, if it wasn’t before, that every case is different, that there are different herbs in every household, and different skills. Use what you can: hot water drinks if nothing else, and cooling water if that is what you crave. Do what feels right for each person. Don’t believe “the experts,” including this paper: Observe carefully with your own senses and form your own judgments.

The emphasis in this approach to the coronavirus is on the symptoms and their interpretation and possible treatment from a holistic standpoint. That includes energetic indicators (hot, cold, damp, dry, tense, relaxed) and organ-specificity, since so many organs and tissues are involved. The need for “sophisticated, organ-specific treatment” is also commented on by prominent herbal writer Stephen Harrod Buhner.¹ I highly recommend his June 2020 paper on the subject.

In traditional herbalism, which I have practiced for more than 35 years, the emphasis is placed on strengthening the body to remove or disrupt the environment in which the organism likes to make its home—or at least to match the symptoms with a remedy. In a case like this it would be nice to be able to kill the virus, but so far that seems to elude us. The holistic approach was put very nicely by A. Bruce Boraas, a longtime Minnesota practitioner of natural medicine:²

The better the circulation, the better the elimination. The better the elimination, the better the interior. The better the metabolism, the better the breakdown of waste products.

This is the approach of our medical ancestors: the holistic, naturopathic, herbal, granny, and traditional healers of the world. Unlike a purely scientific writer, I have also used the “anecdotal approach,” letting people tell their stories in their own words.

I have been reporting on the symptoms of coronavirus from the holistic or energetic perspective since January 26, 2020. I have been modifying information based on increased data and understanding. I started with the emphasis on the pulmonary symptoms because that is what came through in the first reports out of China. However, it was soon clear that the virus was actively attacking the heart as well as the lungs. It was suspected—and then confirmed—that it sometimes presented as a gastrointestinal condition. Then the nervous system was shown to be involved—loss of sense of smell and taste and inflammation of the eyes. The liver and kidneys are naturally exhausted keeping up with the waste products of any disease, but especially one that moves so rapidly—so they too were implicated. The brain was shown to be involved in yet more cases. What seemed at first to be largely a disease of older, impaired populations was also found to attack young, healthy people. In May 2020 it was recognized that blood coagulation is an important factor.

Evidence has accrued that the virus is mutating rapidly. As a result, my viewpoint has morphed and changed again and again, and I now offer the following advice: Each case, each person, is different, and individuals must figure out for themselves the most appropriate remediation. Holism says there are many potential treatments—not necessarily for killing the virus but for strengthening the body’s response at each turn, so that one is not overwhelmed by the disease.

The first detailed paper from Chinese herbal/acupuncturist practitioners in China that I received was “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis with a New Coronavirus Infection,” provided by Mayway Herbs, translated and forwarded to me by Jen Ciccolella.³ To this I added information from “Report from the Front Line in Wuhan” by Liu Lihong, Institute for the Research and Preservation of Classical Chinese Medicine, Guanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).⁴ Then we had pictures of tongues and a good roundup of symptoms from John K. Chen, Ph.D., Pharm.D., O.M.D., L.Ac., “Medical Records from a Young and Brave Female Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Doctor on Fighting the COVID-19, Part III.”⁵

Western doctors are not as symptom-conscious as their Oriental counterparts, but I found that the observations of an anonymous “ER MD in New Orleans” gave a useful timeline and symptom pictures.⁶

The herbalist I know with the most direct experience of respiratory problems in a COVID-laced area is Judith Lieblein of Marin County, California. Before I had direct personal experience I relied upon her clinical perspectives.⁷

THE MECHANISM OF COVID INFECTION

Coronavirus enters the body through the ACE2 receptors in the membranes of the surfactant cells in the alveoli of the lungs. The alveoli are little terminal air sacs at the end of the bronchial tree. They exchange water and CO₂ from inside the lungs for oxygen from outside the body. Surfactant cells help to keep the alveolar surfaces from sticking together so that they open easily with each respiration. The ACE2 receptors, when stimulated, push up the blood pressure. This would explain why so many people feel a weight on their chest as the blood pressure increases, and why high blood pressure is a risk factor. Damage to surfactant cells would make it harder for the alveoli to open with each breath. The immune system responds to stimulate fibroblasts to repair the thin membrane of the surfactant cells. This leads to an over-production by the fibroblasts, resulting in fibrosis or scar tissue. This is why the ventilators are used to push gases back and forth across this membrane.

Cytokines are a necessary part of the immune process. They are stimulated by the arachidonic acid or inflammatory cascade, i.e., by fever. As waste products build up and more and more organs are engaged and the viral load is high, the cytokines can overproduce, causing the famous “storm.” The ER doctor mentioned above commented, “You can literally watch it happen in a matter of hours,” finishing the case.

Blockage of the alveoli and fluids backs up water and blood in the pleural lining around the lungs and in the lungs themselves and, as widely reported on the internet, people are literally drowning in their own blood and fluids.

In late April a new factor was discovered. About 20–30 percent of the critically ill develop blood clots that can be deadly. The origin of these clots is not known as I write. Young people, who normally don’t get strokes, are dying from them. Extensive clotting may explain low oxygen levels in the blood.⁸ Blood-thinners are now being used with apparent success to assist these patients.⁹ The full implications are not yet known. “Placentas in COVID-positive pregnant women show injury with blood circulation and clotting,” said a headline in the Chicago Tribune (May 22, 2020).¹⁰

Although the virus usually enters through the lungs, in other cases the primary effect is through the ACE2 receptors in the GI tract. This causes gastric or intestinal symptoms. Some people have both respiratory and GI involvement. In addition to the other pressures on the lungs, spasm in the stomach would translate to the diaphragm, interfering with breathing. Hold your diaphragm still, readers, and see if you can breathe! The diaphragm may also weaken.

The liver is also affected. Initial statistics from China suggest that symptoms of liver damage are higher in those who die compared to those who live.¹¹ This same source also reports that bile duct epithelium and hepatocytes have ACE2 receptor sites, so they too may be attacked by COVID. These receptors are more numerous in the bile ducts and are “known to play important roles in liver regeneration and immune response,” according to the article. There was also evidence of druginduced liver damage from antibiotics, steroids, and antivirals. The New Orleans ER doctor comments: “Do not use steroids, it makes this worse. Push out to your urgent cares to stop their usual practice of steroid shots for their URI/bronchitis.”¹² When the liver can’t process hormones and neurotransmitters correctly, multiple systems can become disordered.

The brain and neurological system seem to be involved: The organs of smell and taste are often knocked off line, the eyes may be inflamed, there may be a sense of oppressive fullness or even burning in the head, and outright hallucinations of the dead are possible—as newsman Chris Cuomo reported on his own case.¹³

A characteristic found in people with a spiritual orientation is meaningful visions and dreams, including information about COVID or remedies to use in the pandemic. “Weird dreams” are attested to by many, according to a National Geographic article.¹⁴ However, this article attributes the symptom to the boredom induced by quarantine. I think this is a ridiculous grasp at a simplistic explanation for something far more complex. We have dream centers in the brain; there is no reason why COVID cannot act directly upon them. The lockdown was not a consideration in Chris Cuomo’s case since he had only been in quarantine for a day or two when he had a hallucination.

Blood tests show that initially immune cells are low; the immune system is suppressed by COVID.

CAN HERBS HELP?

Of all the cases sent to me by correspondents, my favorite was sent early in the epidemic from Italy.¹⁵ This case illustrates the importance of hot remedies throughout, in some presentations. Notice the severe aggravation from a cooling food. A heroic wife writes:

Case History, Efeturi: Covid Italia. The symptoms began but were not noticed for a few days. I noticed on the 19th March the tips of his hands were becoming blue like there was no blood flow to that part. Slight fever (I didn’t measure it) but he felt mildly hot on touch. But the most challenging symptom was difficulty breathing—which took him to the ER. Chest congestion; he progressed from lying down and feeling relief to lying down and feeling no relief at all. Talking was a struggle. He says the pain made him angry to even talk to me.

Treatment: General Strategy throughout: I made the room constantly hot and got an extra electric heater, which was turned to his chest region. And he was lying under an electric blanket. Substituted teas for drinking water where I put 3 bags of cinnamon tea, green tea, and Indian black tea together. Changed clothes and beddings every day and gave hot baths. I didn’t practice isolation (we slept in same bed, I was constantly with him) but ensured daily we both changed clothing and I also took everything I gave him in smaller quantities. Sanitized my hands and door handles, bathroom after every bath.

Day 1. I had just a few items around me like onions and garlic so I started him on a fresh garlic clove. He felt relief after about 4 minutes after eating (I counted this) but the pain and congestion came back within 30 minutes. I thought to add something more so I made garlic, ginger, and strawberry finely cut in honey (he didn’t like and only took this on the first day so I don’t think this worked for him). Had to rush him to the ER because he could not breathe, was very anxious and panicking. He spent all day there and all tests were conducted and a potential diagnosis of COVID-19 was made and a lung xray showed an inflamed bronchi. At the end of the day, ER said nothing could be done and he was asked to go home and stay indoors, isolating self for 14 days and call a particular number if the chest congestion continued the next day. An official diagnosis of “cough and chest congestion” was made. COVID-19 test was done and the result was not given to him but was to be communicated to him later the next day. Tested positive.

He was never coughing and did not cough at all except during steam sessions. We knew he had the virus because over the next days the chest congestion continued, but we didn’t call the number because we wanted to try with garlic for one week to see if it goes away and if not then we call the emergency number. Meals were soups and green veggie broths with a lot of hot spices and chili peppers (can’t remember the exact spice ingredient in the hot spice mix as I got them ground from a friend a long time ago). I gradually increased the garlic and added in practically everything. These episodes usually began during the evenings and lasted up until 3 am before falling asleep. Within this time I am either giving him hot teas to drink, massages with tea extract, and more garlic. Teas and steam coverings with garlic, ginger, onions and garlic peels, citrus peels induced sweating, and after this a hot bath followed by more tea and garlic.

Day 8. Yesterday he sat in the sun for 2 hours (not directly in the sun but just by the window) and he felt so much better with no symptoms and was so excited. This is the 8th day and he feels so much better, but noticed slight breathing difficulty and slight pain at the lower sides of the ribs. Just got mullein tea today. He drank the first cup and I want to continue with this plus the garlic. I noticed after teas etc he had frequent bowel movements and urination and lots of white sputum.

I want to emphasize that simple kitchen herbs can potentially save lives. Garlic brings down blood pressure by catalyzing nitric oxide, which is released by the blood vessels for this purpose. It has a temporary, daily effect rather than a long-term cure, but that is what we need in an acute disease. Also it may be good for hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the body tissues). Peter Jackson-Main, NIMH, herbal teacher at a naturopathic college in London, notes that “the Sherpas in Nepal apparently use garlic to enable oxygen absorption at high altitude.”¹⁶

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Vitamin D3. From the first whispers of the pandemic, holistic practitioners were suggesting supplementation with this vitamin. In addition to its more famous application in building bones with calcium, it has a proven track record in reducing influenza and the old coronavirus infections. A 2008 landmark article, “On the epidemiology of influenza,” in Virology Journal began with the fact that vitamin D3 is a necessary component in the health of the innate immune system.¹⁷ Since it is produced in human beings through sunlight hitting the skin, this also explains why influenza is seasonal, explosive, coincidental in countries of similar latitude, spreads rapidly, then disappears. Vitamin D is the most researched and important supplement for COVID-19 in this paper.

Zinc. This trace element possesses numerous essential functions in the body. A review article entitled “The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity” states: “An abundance of evidence has accumulated over the past 50 y[ears] to demonstrate the antiviral activity of zinc against a variety of viruses, and via numerous mechanisms.”¹⁸ It is, therefore, being recommended for COVID. Furthermore, there is evidence that zinc works synergistically with chloroquine/hydroxyquine, a drug suggested as a treatment for the virus. The combination gets zinc inside cells to assist in antiviral enzyme activities.¹⁹

Vitamin C. Another basic remedy here, which is gathering more and more support, is Vitamin C. Ascorbic acid strengthens the endothelium (base layer of the mucosa lining, which viruses attack) and is also a circulatory catalyst. The full vitamin C “package” not only contains ascorbic acid but vitamins P and K, which thin the blood.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Dana Ullman, a well-known, experienced practitioner and writer on homeopathy, states, “There is NO remedy that fits all, though the most common ones are Arsenicum, Bryonia, Gelsemium, Camphora, Phosphorus, Lycopodium, Antimonium tart . . . for starters.”²⁰

Arsenicum album 30x, 30c (homeopathic Arsenic). This has been recommended as a specific by the government of India.²¹ It is especially for anguish, anxiety, and fear. It also matches the symptoms of aggravation at night, anxiety at night, and it is reliable in many acute microbial presentations; also in chronic and constitutional cases.

Cinchona officinalis, China officinalis (homeopathic Quinine). Many people familiar with homeopathy have taken this remedy due to the reports about chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, a synthetic derivative from this long-recognized malarial medicinal plant.

FLOWER ESSENCES

Julia Graves, an experienced herbalist and flower essence practitioner in Germany, writes: “Flower essences as vibrational or energy medicine do not kill viruses. However, we all know that the more we feel happy, loving and vibrant, the less likely we are to catch what is going around.” She recommends Yellow Daylily (light-heartedness), Lily of the Valley (“no love in the world”), Hellebore (fear), Spear Thistle (“spiritual warrior”), Grape Hyacinth (weakness of voice and chest).²²

I recommend the Bach flower essence Holly (more about that to come). My friend Wendy Fogg, of Misty Meadows Herbal Center in Durham, New Hampshire, recommends Borage (emotional exhaustion) and Wild Rose (fear). We agreed that Holly would combine well with these.²³

MEDICAL DEVICES

The importance of having a pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels in the blood will become apparent in this article.

PREPARATION/PREVENTION

There is no proof that prevention of COVID is possible except through social distancing measures that are being practiced throughout the world. However, we can strengthen ourselves in advance. The use of vitamin D3, as described above, has been proven to be strongly preventative in influenza and the previous coronaviruses. Other preventative measures include the following.

Rest and Hydration. The simple practices for avoiding complications from influenza and ordinary (pre-COVID-19) coronavirus remain in effect.²⁴ Warm water has been recommended by doctors in India, Italy, and Spain, since flu and COVID often begin with chills. A cold drink contributed to a relapse in my own case.

Protect the Mucosal Lining. The “front line” of the immune system is the “intrinsic epithelial barrier,” in other words, the mucosal and dermal lining of the body. N-acetylcholine is the substance from which cell membranes are made; it is contained in lecithin and eggs or can be supplemented directly. In a quick search I gathered information on strengthening the epithelium of the intestines from an article published in China.²⁵ Positive agents include fatty acids, especially linoleic acid and oleanolic acid, fruits including citrus, several rosaceae (raspberry, apple, strawberries), herbs including Citrus peel, Astragalus, Sage (Chinese, probably also Western), Magnolia officinalis, Moringa, Coptis (similar to Goldenseal), Mango butter, and other substances.

The layer under the epithelium should also be strengthened—this would be the mesothelium or connective-tissue layer. The polymers of this layer provide the “tight junctions” between the cells and need to be healthy. Immune functions are also found in the mesothelium. This layer is strengthened by mucilages, and the junctions can be tightened by flavonoids (Rose family, for instance). Recommended mucilages include Marshmallow Root, Fenugreek Seed (especially because it is also warming and contains fatty acids), Opuntia, Aloe Vera, and Gotu Kola. Horsetail, though not mucilaginous, is excellent for strengthening the connective tissue.

The endothelium is the layer beneath the epiand mesothelium; it has been shown to be strengthened by Vitamin C.²⁶

The thermoregulatory system opens and closes the pores of the skin, mucosa, and internal serous membranes. This is the basis of oldtime and herbal medicine. The theory is: warm the center, thin the fluids, keep the pores open to discharge healthy secretions onto the epithelial surface. Warming, thinning/expectorating, and opening remedies include Lomatium, Angelica, Fenugreek, Elecampane, Hyssop, various mints, and others.²⁷

The importance of prevention and taking a serious attitude toward COVID is highlighted in this cautionary tale from Canadian herbalist Christine Dennis (mentioned under Encephalopathy):

I underestimated this virus. It is an angry little virus. I was not taking my preventative herbs and that was the first big misstep on my part. I was saving them for those that are more vulnerable than I. I was also late to start my herbs once it hit because I again wanted to save them. Misstep number 2. Then I was getting on top of it with saunas but got feeling like I was getting on top of it and stopped the saunas. Misstep number 3. Then I thought I was over the hump and eased off on what all I was doing, so that was when I got hit with a second round of it. Misstep number 4.

STAGES AND SYMPTOMS

The stages, their titles, and most of these symptoms come from “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis with a New Coronavirus Infection.”²⁸ Most of the rest of the descriptions come from the Louisiana ER doctor. Since originally writing this section it has become increasingly difficult to keep to a stage-by-stage outline, since there are so many variable presentations. However, this still seems helpful for visualizing the process.

“Clinical Observation Stage”

The original Chinese account of coronavirus symptoms started with symptoms rather typical of the flu: fatigue with gastrointestinal discomfort, fatigue with fever. This is an observational stage, as the condition may be an ordinary flu.²⁹

Stage 1: “Early Stage”

The Louisiana ER doctor writes: “2–11 days after exposure (day 5 on average) flu-like symptoms start.” Symptoms: cold, dampness and functional depression; fever or no fever; dry cough, itchy throat, chest tightness; nausea without vomiting; fatigue; back pain (myalgia); abdominal discomfort with diarrhea in some cases; loss of sense of smell and taste, loss of appetite. The tongue is pale, pink, or red; the fur is white, thick, and sticky.³⁰

Stage 2: “Plague Closes the Lungs”

Symptoms: persistent body heat or cold (chills) and fever, nasal congestion, sore, dry, itchy throat, dry cough, cough with little sputum, or yellow or bloody sputum, bloating and constipation, chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, relief, tongue body is red with a greasy, yellow coating, and the pulse is slippery.³¹ Many people seem to jump from 0 to a 100 symptom-wise. Others do not.

Stage 3: “Severe Period”

The Louisiana ER doctor wrote: “Day 10—81% mild symptoms, 14% severe symptoms requiring hospitalization, 5% critical.” Also: “Patient presentation is varied. Patients are coming in hypoxic (even 75%) without dyspnea. I have seen COVID patients present with encephalopathy, renal failure from dehydration, DKA. I have seen the bilateral interstitial pneumonia on the xray of the asymptomatic shoulder dislocation or on the CTs of the (respiratory) asymptomatic poly-trauma patient. Essentially if they are in my ER, they have it. Seen three positive flu swabs in 2 weeks and all three had COVID-19 as well. Somehow this . . . has told all other disease processes to get out of town.”

Respiratory Presentation

This description reflects earlier accounts of the pandemic. Titles and symptoms come from the Chinese source: dyspnea, shortness of breath or asthmatic ventilation, unconsciousness, irritability, cold sweaty limbs, dark purple tongue, thick greasy or dry fur, large pulses without roots. The dark purple tongue (see two case histories in the liver section) indicates severe blood coagulation and fits with the following description.

Circulatory Presentation

An article in the Washington Post, summarizing scientific sources, was reprinted by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.³² This rounded up the following symptoms as now characteristic: strokes from blood clots; neurological issues; pinkeye; loss of smell and taste; unexpected blood clotting; damage to lining of blood vessels; vomiting and diarrhea; clogged and inflamed alveoli (air sacs), hampering breathing; pulmonary embolism from blood clots, and microbes; weakened heart muscle; arrhythmias and heart attacks; damage to structures that filter waste from the blood; purple rash on toes or fingers from the attack on blood vessels; widespread immune-system impact, including an overactive immune response that attacks healthy tissue (the often fatal “cytokine storm”).

The article asks whether this new symptomology represented an evolution of the disease or our understanding? This question is answerable. An autopsy on three patients who died in the 2003 SARS epidemic showed the same kind of damage.³³ The dark purple tongue noted in the respiratory description indicates blood stasis.

Stage 4: “Recovery Period”

You made it, you’re alive, but you are exhausted and depleted. Symptoms: shortness of breath (now from exhaustion and damage, not closure), fatigue, anorexia, nausea, fullness, thin stools, pale tongue and greasy fur, unpleasant bowel evacuation. The pale tongue indicates depletion of blood or qi (nerve energy to push the blood to the surface).³⁴

TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE

Traditional herbalism is largely based on the doctrine of humoralism or “energetics” whereby one attempts to determine whether the person is hot or cold, damp or dry, tense or relaxed. Then the remedy or formula is administered “by contrary” (hot to cold), so that, for example, Ginger dried or fresh is warming to a “cold stomach,” and Peach is cooling. In terms of the energetics of COVID: People can tell from their desires for warmth or cooling which of these two most important energetics they need.

Warming or Cooling?

COVID seems to produce little temperature at first; perhaps there will be a slight chill. In others there is a severe chill. Many people therefore need warming medicines. As the condition progresses, but sometimes perhaps from the start, there may be a need for cooling medicines.

The case history from Italy (see p. 117) demonstrates the importance of warming medicines and the detriment from cold. Here is one of the few case histories that show the symptom “better from cooling.”

Case History, Elizabeth: Elizabeth had “chest heaviness in the bottom of the lungs.” I am “Experimenting with Rosa damascena essential oil in jojoba on the chest for the lungs/pneumonia symptoms, as I think Lomatium is too hot for me and I do not have Nigella. Decided to approach COVID-19 from its angry center and see if this could be energetically helpful, as I am looking for another herb in the cabinet to help.” Cinquefoil was beneficial. During her recuperation she took warming herbs, especially Angelica.³⁵

Cooling remedies include fruity plants such as Elderberry, Rose, Hawthorn, Peach, Lemon, and Lime. The latter two are also alkalinizing.

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra, S. canadensis). This the most famous herbal antiviral and is widely touted as a preventative and treatment for colds and flus. There is some scientific evidence for this, but application for prevention of COVID is unproven. Early in the epidemic it came under fire for possibly exaggerating the “cytokine storm” that is a factor in severe cases of coronavirus, according to experts. This theory is fatuous and is solidly rebutted by Stephen Harrod Buhner in Herbal Antivirals: Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections (2013). He recommends extraction from the leaves for more potency; most herbalists use the flowers (which are diaphoretic—open the skin) or berries. I feel Elderberry should seldom be used in cold cases since the flower is quite cooling and the berry somewhat. There are mixed reviews of the effectiveness of Elderberry or Elder Flower at this time.

Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis). Used in a formula with Forsythia and Honeysuckle, this medicinal plant has been highly recommended for COVID-19 in China. Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) is a cousin of Elderberry. American cousins Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia) or Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) may be fair substitutes. Several people were taught about Skullcap in dream or vision. Here is an amusing example. Skullcap is cooling.

Case History, Lizzie: In a plant journey during the winter, prior to the coronavirus epidemic, “a Chinese man came and placed a skullcap on my head and said I would be needing that. I wasn’t sure why I would need a new hat, so I googled ‘China skullcap,’ discovered it was an actual plant with all its rich qualities, ordered a tincture, and now realize it was the main remedy I personally needed for COVID-19. It has met me so well, I truly think it has been integral in fighting off this virus for me when it went deeper and my weakened immune system struggled.”³⁶

Rose Petals, Hips. Rose is cooling; it is recommended when the heat is penetrating past the superficial level (indicated by carmine or pink-red mucosa and complexion) to a deeper level, indicated by darker red color (when the complexion or tongue shows a mixture of carmine and dark red). Dandelion Root is also indicated for dark red mucosa and tongue.

Here is a case where the person overused warming remedies.

Case History, Mike: A correspondent on Facebook writes, “I finally tested positive about 10 days in since symptoms slowly came on. It was so suppressed and dry that it felt like a tickle almost until it moved deeper into my lungs, never once becoming wet or depressed except in my throat.

“I made the major mistake of overheating my center and drying myself out, which aggravated and atrophied my lungs and chest to an ongoing painful experience.

“I’ve since moved to a combo of Lemon Balm, Rose, and Borage [mucilaginous, cooling], with Mallow and Mullein. Pleurisy Root in very small-drop doses when I feel any airway wheezing or dry constriction. Mostly because all of these are in my garden and my apothecary wasn’t very well stocked for this.

“I’ve kept up with a nitric oxide supplement and heavy A and D vitamins, occasionally adding Reishi back into the mix in moderate doses.”

A white, adhesive coating and (sometimes) a pale tongue indicate a cold condition. Employ strategies to thin and disperse the fluids, warm the interior, and increase circulation (Lomatium, Angelica, Thyme, Fenugreek, Nigella, Bayberry Bark, Helichrysum, Garlic, Onions, Cayenne, Turmeric). Keep the skin open (Yarrow, Hyssop, Pleurisy Root, Elder Flower), and bowels open (Fenugreek, Yellow Dock Root). Yarrow is normalizing between warming and cooling. Conifer resins are stimulating and expectorant, such as Pine (bark or needles), Black Spruce (traditional Ojibwa cold remedy), White Spruce (tea opens the upper chest).

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum). The government of India recommends frequent sipping of water boiled with tulsi as a general remedy for COVID.³⁷ This herb is moderately warming and considered detoxifying.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Lomatium (Lomatium dissectum), Osha Root (Ligusticum porteri). These “Bear Medicines” (oily, warm, spicy, stimulating, drying) are some of the most important remedies, in my opinion and experience. They increase circulation, perhaps reducing blood pressure and blood coagulation. In the recuperation phase they have proved helpful to some—“Bear Medicines” give stamina. It is available from the liquor store in the liqueur Benedictine.

Sweet or Life Everlasting (Helichrysum spp., Gnapalium spp.). Members of the everlasting clan have three traits suited to COVID: they are traditional cold remedies (the coronavirus clan is a major source for this condition), they are used for both bruising and hemorrhaging, and reputedly lessen scar tissue. I have been recommending them for COVID-19, and now I find that there may be a good pharmacological basis for this. Surviving Coronavirus, by Su Fairchild, M.D. (2020), mentions a study in which helichrysetin, a constituent of Helichrysum odoratissimum, has been found to be active against various coronaviruses. This study dates to before the current novel-coronavirus.³⁸ I have three reports from people using Rabbit Tobacco or Helichrysum in the recuperation phase—all reported better respiration.

Moistening or Drying?

The Chinese doctor Liu Lihong (introduced above) comments, “Almost everyone agrees that dampness is at the core of this disease. All of the cases we have encountered so far display a thick, white, sticky tongue coating.” But then he adds something interesting that may refer to the environment. “Since our arrival in Wuhan, every one of us has observed an increase in sticky coating on our own tongues, as well as the onset of incomplete bowel movements.” Confirmation from the pulse: “Virtually everyone exhibits a slippery pulse” in the lung position, confirming that “turbid damp obstructing the Lung is the main characteristic of this epidemic.” This may be the presentation in cool, damp climates or it may be more universal. The virus seems to be highly adaptable. Many people feel dry rather than damp, but that can mean that fluids are stuck inside and not coming out. Others definitely feel hot.

Mucus is a form of dampness. When it dries out we use mucilages or moistening substances to get the mucous membranes hydrated and healthy. Many people seem to need moistening remedies, others need the drying, or different remedies are needed in different stages. The “Bear Medicines” I have been recommending—Lomatium, Osha, and Angelica—can be drying.

Mucilage is a slimy, mucus-like constituent found in many plants. We frequently use Marshmallow Root and Slippery Elm in herbal medicine. Onion syrup, mentioned elsewhere, is warming and slimy. Mucilaginous foods include oats, okra, and flax seed.

Licorice. Glycorrhiza spp. is an immune-modulating mucilage that is being used in a lot of the Chinese formulae and by Western practitioners. I have stayed away from it because it can cause high blood pressure, which would not be good here.

Fenugreek. My favorite mucilage for COVID is Trigonella foenumgraecum. It is warming, soothing, lubricating, oily, moist, and expectorant; it is frequently used in Middle Eastern, Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Western herbalism. Fenugreek and Thyme is a favorite combination for colds and flus.

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum spp.). Not to be confused with the Smartweed clan (Polygonum), this medicine plant is usually used to lubricate tendons and ligaments but can be used as a mucilage.

Case History, Lise: Herbalist Lise Wolf sent me a case history from one of her students.³⁹ “A few years ago I gave my friend Aaron a spray bottle of Solomon’s Seal for repetitive stress injury (he’s a bartender and had severe pain in his elbow and forearm for awhile). The Solomon’s Seal worked well for him (in combination with Agrimony). Then the other day he told me that when he recently contracted coronavirus (he didn’t get tested but all the symptoms checked out) he started using the Solomon’s Seal as a throat spray, once in the morning and once at night. He said he ‘couldn’t breathe well because of the gunk in my lungs’ but that the Solomon’s Seal helped him breathe more easily.”

Formula for sticky phlegm, thickened fluids: Pleurisy Root, Yerba Mansa, Red Root, Bayberry Bark. Warming mucilages to coat the membranes: Fenugreek, Onion. Phyllis Light, whom I consider a master in the field, has been “using a combination of Bayberry, Yarrow, and Cayenne.”⁴⁰

SYMPTOMS, SYSTEMS, AND HERBS

Traditional herbal medicine attempts to strengthen the body to resist the contagion or disease, or to recover from the insult or injury, on its own. This, we believe, leads to long-term health. We do not oppose well-thought-out medical intervention.

When we don’t fully understand the underlying pathology we study the symptomology and attempt to address these, as evidence of the “inner cries” of the body for help in certain regions, functions, or situations.

Onset

Most people are chilly—warm yourself up as quickly as possible. Use warm water, if nothing else is available. Warming kitchen herbs such as Rosemary, Thyme, Turmeric, Ginger, and Cayenne may be beneficial.

Case History, Lizzie (continued): “It was sudden, like flu can be, where within an hour or two you’re suddenly struck with ice-cold shaking chills, rigours, everything dysregulated: that state where you find yourself making sickly moaning noises to yourself and wondering who is making that pitiful noise; that felt sense that it is fast consuming you, that something has gone deep deep, and that you can’t control what is happening with your body . . . it hit my heart, lungs, upper chest like an invisible yet tangible being, and I felt like I was breathing in toxic fumes, even though at that stage my breathing was fine . . . like something noxious to me was consuming. My heart was tachycardic and intense and dysregulated.”

Anxiety and Fear

A friend of mine went into a coffee shop he noticed was open during the lockdown. He could get coffee but not sit down. The owner said, “You’ve heard of flight-or-fight?” Yeah, answered my friend. “Well, all the flight people are at home; all the fight people are the ones that come in.” See the homeopathic and flower essences remedies mentioned above for anxiety and fear. Several case histories also refer to the fear.

Case History, Lizzie (continued): “There was a sense of embodied fear. I knew in the moment it was serious and that it was something my body didn’t understand but was very alarmed about. At that point I had not even considered at all that it was COVID-19, just that something was seriously amiss. The fear wasn’t an anticipatory fear about being ill, it was more that the illness feels like it holds or triggers an energy of fear, in the same way that Lyme seems to embody/trigger a dark destructive energy.”

Psycho-Spiritual Changes

One characteristic symptom of COVID is the number of people who are having dreams, hunches, and visions, often about what to do. Several of us believe this is characteristic of a positive response to the virus, and that people should follow these subjective experiences. Herbalist and therapist Mary Pat Palmer comments, “I can tell you as a therapist that when people start dreaming about their problems this is an excellent indication of health and an important way to process life issues.” It is very important, therapeutically, to acknowledge this element of COVID. This is demonstrated by a comment on my personal Facebook page (May 24, 2020): “As a psychotherapist in Humboldt County, working with Veterans, I have observed an increase in reporting of significant dreams, who described new ‘atrial fibrillation’ and other possible COVID-19 symptoms, but were not treated by medical providers.” This may lead to “possible self-awareness for treatment” of the virus.

Many people have had meaningful dreams relating to COVID, the meaning of their symptoms, herbs to take, ancestors, family, spiritual issues, or even the relationship between humanity, the Earth, and COVID.⁴¹ Lizzie, for example, dreamed that she was being attacked by a shark with the name “Covid the 19^th” written on the side: “It seems the gods were really trying to make me wake up and see what was happening; this was not a time for subtle metaphors.” I personally had a dream every single time anything COVID-related occurred in my system—over twenty instances. This included the virus showing me that it attacked the dreaming centers in the brain. This connection led herbalist Phyllis Light to the use of pineal-strengthening herbs and foods, since this gland is related to sleep and dream. Unfortunately, not much is known about herbs for this gland. Phyllis’ foremost remedy, based on the doctrine of signatures, is Pine; the pineal was named due to its visual similarity to a pinecone.

The following case, which gained some notoriety,⁴² shows deep psycho-spiritual changes, but this may be due to the near-death experience rather than the direct influence of the virus.

Case History, Titou Phommachanh: Age 44. High blood pressure was the only pre-existing condition. This is a well-documented case because his wife went to the media to get the test and experimental drug (remdesiver) that may or may not have saved his life. He had the characteristic double pneumonia. He was put on a ventilator, but that wasn’t enough so he was put in an induced coma for two weeks, and given a lung bypass (oxygenating the blood in a machine while his lungs recover). They call his room the “good luck room” since another young man survived with the lung bypass in that room.

Katie Walsh was the caregiver after he was discharged as not contagious. “We did some Old World steams. Fresh Pine needles and cones. Tried Lobelia. I feel like I should have taken Skullcap with me, but I didn’t.” Lobelia helped him sweat.

“He was totally changed by the disease. He was never an emotional person. His wife, my cousin, did most of the talking for him. Now he is ‘emotionally there,’ comment his friends. He had a life-changing experience. He saw his life flash before his mind from beginning to end; he saw his girls in the future without him. Now he is incredibly attentive. He feels he survived for a purpose, although he also has survivor’s guilt.”

Titou had a vision during the induced coma that was the one thing he remembered from that time: “He was a fish out of water and he had the choice to enter a flowing stream where he would have died, but he chose to stay alive on earth and survive. He chose to be with his kids.” Unfortunately, he is still deeply traumatized from waking from a coma at night, alone, in a hospital bed in restraints.

“His tastes for food totally changed. He couldn’t tolerate processed food, basically. He only eats fruit and Laotian stew.”

The following case has some similarities to this one.

Encephalopathy

I am going to leave out the discussion, prevention, and treatment of stroke (from the blood clotting) as too serious for this article. Other brain-related presentations occur. “It is reported that CoV can be found in the brain or cerebrospinal fluid.”⁴³

Case History, Christine (continued): “So I’m still dealing with what my ER doctor friend believes to be the neurological subset version of COVID. Good times! Not. I’ve been getting out of bed for an hour a few times a day yesterday and today so that is an improvement! I’m on a second wave of it as I thought I was just getting over the hump the first time when I was hit again with a round wave. So it is improving. Both CNS and PNS involvement—really not nice headaches, dizziness, nausea, hard to think and focus, tingling and numbness, hyper sensorial sensitivity, body is racing, wired but tired, shaky, weak, rolling sensations moving through my body and brain, vibrating and spinning chakras, keep losing vasovagal tone, skin is sore, thermo-dysregulation, neuroendocrine dysfunction so things likely hypoglycemia, excessive hunger but still significant weight loss. (No excessive thirst or urination.) Mild GI upset. I used to think the joke that ‘we are all just one good flu away from our ideal weight’ was funny. There is a feeling that the whole world is closing in on and around me.

“Night time offers no reprieve as I’m bombarded by disincarnated beings that have died but they did not know they died as they were heavily sedated to go on ventilators. So when they wake up they think they have survived. I’m having to tell them their body did not make it. It is so upsetting and disturbing to say the least. So in short, I feel like I have been in an ayahuasca ceremony for two weeks straight now and around the clock.

“I was completely unprepared for this subset of COVID! I felt pretty prepared and was having success working with the respiratory version! Relaxing nervines were not helpful alone. When I moved to adding adaptogens it calmed things down a bit, so less wired now. Phew! Ganoderma, Withania, Hypericum, Scutellaria, are some other herbs in my formula. I can’t remember the rest right now. Taking B Complex and Omega 3.”

Neurological Effects

In addition to the effects on the brain there can be effects on the rest of the nervous system. We see the effects on the peripheral (sensory) with the changes in smell and taste; on the autonomic with regard to the vagus and diaphragm, in charge of breathing, and in many other regions (see Sara Annon’s case history).

Case History, Titou Phommachanh (continued): Katie Walsh described the symptoms she observed and amended after Titou left the hospital: “The whole arm was tingly. The last three fingers were relentlessly painful, tingling, annoying. I gave him massages with Yarrow, a spritzer of Yarrow, and soaked his hand in Yarrow and Lobelia infusion, but the Lobelia internally. That seemed to help, along with Turmeric tablets his wife gave.”

Loss of Sense of Smell and Taste

It is now well known that a complete loss of smell and taste may be an early warming sign of coronavirus, which in some cases strikes directly at the olfactory nerve at the roof of the nose, just between the eyes. One of my friends had this symptom only, lasting for over a month, until she consulted an experienced herbalist.⁴⁴

Red Eyes, Burning Tears

These symptoms are recorded by many. There is some question whether this is due to irritation of the eyes or an emotional component of the disease. One friend had this symptom for over six weeks.

Throat

An itchy, irritated sore throat is highly characteristic and can carry on throughout the epidemic. I have heard it said that “the virus lives in the throat”; this fits the experience of many.

There are two basic types of sore throat: (1) swollen glands, usually palpable and often painful on swallowing, and (2) irritation of the vagus resulting in irritable membranes without the above symptoms. Both can occur in COVID and other acute diseases. A standard remedy for the former is Cleavers (Galium aparine) and for the latter:

Nigella sativa (Black Seed, Black Cumin) is a well-rounded, exhaustively studied immune tonic with an ancient pedigree.⁴⁵ Research shows that it covers just about all the typical regions affected by COVID: lungs, heart, digestive tract, liver, kidneys, nervous system. (It is contraindicated in pregnancy.) This agent (with Holly and Lomatium, and Fenugreek) helped me for weeks. Every time I had a sore throat I took the raw seeds and it disappeared within ten minutes. It settles irritation of the vagus or autonomic nervous system, which COVID may be attacking elsewhere in the body.

Lungs

The infection goes down from the throat to the trachea and bronchia. There is often a dry, itchy sensation and cough, with weight on the chest. Breathlessness can occur in the first minutes and disappear or remain or come and go. As the symptoms get worse the mucus and dampness build up. A distinctive feature is the absence of expectoration of the phlegm. Liu Lihong⁴⁶ says that this causes “turbid phlegm to congeal into a rubbery and glue-like material that severely interferes with proper airway function and has no way out.” He concludes, “This is the most important reason for the lingering ‘stalemate’ quality of the disease, as well as the tendency to take a sudden turn for the worse.”

Case History, Amy: “I think I had this thing coming off a Caribbean cruise March 15th. It took me out for 3½ weeks! Prickles in throat, dry cough, and breathlessness. No fever. I used lung tea, which helped significantly. Ingredients: Mullein, Marshmallow Root, Osha Root, Licorice Root, and Yerba Santa. Also [kinesiology testing indicated I take] Pleurisy Root, Red Root, Elecampane and Hyssop as well as (oddly enough) Prickly Ash tincture every few days and Hawthorn almost every day.

“Ultimately I used my hubby’s inhaler once at the end to push open the bronchia as an acupuncturist friend advised—that really helped push me into being better because the hardest part was feeling like I could complete breaths; otherwise I was virtually fine. It would be like that for over a week. I thought I was better and then I wouldn’t be able to complete breaths fully.

“Oddly my hubby was only sick 4 days and he has asthma bad. He took steroids when we got off the ship and he drank 3 gallons a day of the tea [above]. It was so weird because he had all the symptoms I did.

“I got sick after he got well. I haven’t been sick in over 20 years with flu. Hypothyroid, low adrenals, and anemia—yes—but no colds or flus.”

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus, V. spp.). Coronavirus erodes the cilia (hairs) in the lungs: Three herbs I know of protect those tiny, brushy hairs—Mullein, Horsetail, and Comfrey. Many strains of Comfrey contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids and should not be used in COVID, if possible, due to the liver involvement.

Case History, anonymous: “I have all the COVID symptoms and had recent regional travel to big events. We’ve been tested by public health but tests came back negative (apparently this was quite common in China too). However, what has helped me the most is Mullein. I haven’t been able to get any Elecampane, but Mullein is pretty common. I drank the simple tea (steeped for at least 15 minutes) every 2–4 hrs while awake and that has helped with the chest tightness. Oddly enough it seems to work best on its own without cayenne and with a pinch of sugar; I’m not sure why the sugar helps I can’t even taste it. Maybe it’s available where you are. It also helps with the GI manifestations, or it’s helped me anyways.”⁴⁷

Sugar is a mild relaxant to the throat and lungs—excellent for hiccoughs. Mullein works best in hot infusion because water extracts the salty mucilage (the part we want), which can be seen floating on the surface.

Case History, Chris M.: An herbalist friend went to the hospital at the peak of his infection to get a chest x-ray. He had viral double pneumonia and hypoxia down to 91%. The physicians diagnosed COVID on the symptoms, as tests were not yet available. That night he woke with an intense bolt of fear running through him. He immediately felt it was not his own emotion, rejected it, and it left him. From that night on he started to get better. I called him about something else shortly after and recommended Mullein since his cilia were inflamed. He had some on hand and got relief during the pneumonia from Mullein tea hourly, as well as tincture. “After I could walk from one room to the other I starting taking Osha Root and about a day later it provoked the suppressed cough reflex.”

Prickly Ash Bark (Xanthoxylum americanum). This extremely stimulating medicinal plant is an important remedy to rally the resistance in serious bronchitis.⁴⁸ It increases circulation to the capillary bed. It also is stimulating to the nervous system but not exactly warming—for those who need a stimulant but not too much heat. Nicole Duxbury used it in several cases.⁴⁹

Yerba Mansa. Early, before COVID was an epidemic in the US, herbalist Michael Cottingham and I talked about the importance of this remedy (Amenopsis californica). It is for boggy, waterlogged tissues, especially in the upper and lower respiratory tract. We thought of combining it with Pleurisy Root (Asclepias tuberosa). He found a good combination was with Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).

Onion Syrup. Chop an Onion and place the pieces in maple syrup or honey. This will draw out the mucilage and warming volatile oils to create a respiratory syrup that moistens and loosens phlegm and stimulates a healthy cough. Similar to Yerba Santa in properties, but more readily available.⁵⁰

Pine Needles, Pine Bark (Pinus strobus, P. spp.). This warming aromatic herb has long been used in herbal medicine to bring up difficult-to-raise phlegm and is widely available. Positive reports have come in.⁵¹

Note: A Cough that is Not COVID. I had a hard time telling the difference between the cough of COVID and the dry, irritable cough that is typical in dry winter air or from forced-air furnaces and wood stoves, so I think this is important to point out. Marshmallow Root at night, just before bed (many other herbalists do this too), palliates. American or California Spikenard (Aralia racemosa, A. Californica) was more specific for me. It would take it away altogether. If one can’t get the herb get the homeopathic (Aralia 6x, 6c).

Hypoxia

This is a medical condition, not a symptom. Most people are unaware that they are suffering from hypoxia (low oxygen levels in the blood). This is one of the most important indications of a serious COVID condition, since it leads to both respiratory and circulatory problems. Therefore, one of the best instruments to have on hand is a pulse oximeter, which quickly, inexpensively, and easily measures this in the home.

Herbalists including Lisa Ganora and Leslie Alexander early on were using Rhodiola, an astringent “adaptogen” well-known for altitude sickness (naturally occurring hypoxia). This herb is used in the Chinese formulas for COVID. Garlic may be a simple home remedy for this condition.

Heart

My early drafts for this article described “the metaphorical heart” because there was no information on damage to the physical heart. The first reports of arrhythmias and ischemias (heart attacks) came to me from personal correspondence, not popular or professional news. These terrible pathological occurrences were then confirmed in a Scientific American article.⁵² Initial evidence indicates that the virus can directly attack the heart, which also contains ACE2 receptors, and that this happens in as many as one in five cases. Later the problem with blood coagulation was discovered.

My first symptom (March 8) was rapid heartbeat (140–150 per minute), which would surely damage the heart had it not been stopped in five minutes by application of Lomatium tincture in repeated doses (probably about five or eight “squirts” of the tincture). I also experienced an attack on my “metaphorical heart:” COVID seemed to hang over me like a dark ectoplasm beaming hatred at me. When I asked it “why do you hate me so much?” it replied clear as a human voice: “I’m everything you hate.” Thereafter I took Holly (the flower essence for feeling hate or being hated) as well as Lomatium. They always caused the circulation in my chest to expand, as if the heart, upper lungs, and thymus (immune gland) were being protected by release of blood pressure and a myriad of immune cells.

“This virus goes straight to the heart,” writes Minneapolis herbalist Nicole Duxbury. “I do believe it asks us to process unprocessed emotions (collective or personal). Part of my healing involved waves of deep grief (came on co-with symptoms each time).”⁵³

Case History, Lizzie (continued): “Rapidly I went through incredible sickness with chest compressed by great weight, like a vice was tightening around chest, extreme tachycardia, simply from moving an arm or trying to reach for water. Angina, heart randomly slowing, halting, and rebounding. Extreme breathlessness due to heart—not lungs. Huge painful swelling of lymph glands in and around left armpit when body was fighting the infection with all its resilience and might around heart area, with all the associated fevers and chills and poorliness. Much erratic arrythmia, and slightest slightest movement causing all the above to worsen. It reminded me of Lyme carditis only this was far worse, far more systemic. It felt, without wishing to sound dramatic, ‘threatening’ . . . and messages in my shamanic journeys to ‘take this very seriously and not underestimate this, this is viral myocarditis,’ made me stop . . . and so I lay there and breathed slow and deep and kept repeating ‘I can expand to hold all of this’ then oscillated into good old-fashioned mortal fallible fear and late-night texts to friends asking them to confirm I would live and if I didn’t that I loved them lots.

“And so I journeyed deeper and deeper each hour to find out how to meet this, what my body needed. In early days homeopathic Digitalis helped shift a layer, then I remembered Cactus grandiflorus tincture (which had really helped after Lyme weakened valves) in single drops, taken under tongue now and then and smoothed regularly up my heart meridian and armpit glands. Cactus eased the vise around my chest, and angina type state. Aurum [homeopathic gold] briefly came alongside and met and cleared at an emotional level: big old dark night of the soul heart feeling states. But after several days or a week homeopathic Spigelia did the biggest physical shift, so much so that I cried in amazement at the little sugar pills’ power. Within a few doses everything began to shift to the point where after a few days I no longer felt like there is any infection affecting heart, all painful gland swelling completely went. Now my heart is now simply tired and weak, as am I.

“All the way through I was having hawthorn flower/leaf/berry/thorn tincture, which I have been having daily since it finished brewing last autumn. I added in some Motherwort when heart first went poorly fast, it was and still is a reassuring soothing nourishing ally but didn’t feel like alone it would have met this acute illness state.”

Hawthorn. The first remedy that comes to mind for the heart for most herbalists would be Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), a first cousin of the apple and entirely safe. It appears to increase circulation to both the periphery (taking pressure off the heart) and the heart itself (to feed, nourish, and cleanse). It also has a regulatory effect on cholesterol, though that would not be needed in acute conditions. This effect can be increased by the addition of Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum spp.), which loosens tendons and ligaments in the chest. As little as seven parts Hawthorn to one part Solomon’s Seal will work—which is a good thing, since the latter is in short supply.

Holly. This is widely available as the Bach Flower Essence Holly (Ilex opaca), which is used for hatred and fear. I have also made tincture or tea from the leaves—the berries are a ferocious purgative that should not be used. The dose need only be a few drops, as needed, or a few times a day.

I first began to use this remedy for the extreme fatigue that accompanies Bartonella, one of the Lyme co-infections, and I found it successful in three cases, including my own. I took Holly because of the way Bartonella (diagnosed by a professional from the symptoms) attacked my brain and heart within days of the bite. This is similar to COVID, and I have been using this remedy for myself and recommending it for others when the “heart felt attacked,” i.e., by pressure on the upper chest. One of the few other herbalists who uses Holly, to my knowledge, is Amanda Dilday. It turned out she too was applying it for COVID exactly as I was.⁵⁴

When a plant looks like an animal or is used by an animal, it is classified as an “animal medicine” in Native American herbalism.⁵⁵ Holly qualifies in both capacities as a “Bat Medicine” because of the way the thorns on the leaves look like the claws on a bat’s wing; and the bats will make their homes in the dark interior of the little tree. Bats are the ultimate source of COVID. Because they have a highly efficient immune system, viruses have to mutate quickly in order to establish themselves. When such a virus moves to a human being it retains this reproductive rapidity and, perhaps, mutability.

Amanda sees a resemblance between the way bats sense in the darkness by sonar (signals emanating out and coming back) and the way the heart senses in the darkness of emotional uncertainty. Bats are creepy, yes, but they are loving parents who carefully raise, feed, and train their young.⁵⁶

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). This warming, drying, stimulating herb has an effect on the circulation and nervous system generally, so it indirectly supports the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

From a therapeutic standpoint, the remedies to prevent hemorrhaging and blood coagulation fall into several categories. Blood stagnation is eminently treatable by the same kinds of warming stimulants and resinous warming plants for which “damp stagnation” can be approached (Lomatium, Angelica, Yarrow, Cinnamon, etc.).

Gastrointestinal Presentation

From a medical writer in March 2020: “Novel coronavirus symptoms seem to be mostly focused on fever and cough, but gastrointestinal symptoms should be a new focus for clinicians, according to two new papers published online in Gastroenterology.”^57, 58 In these cases the ACE2 receptor cells in the intestines showed signs of COVID entry. Characteristic symptoms include: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort; loose or constipated, frequency and unpleasant smell; passing gas; changes in bowel habits.

If the symptoms tend toward cold and damp (gurgling, diarrhea) try warming remedies (dried Ginger, Angelica, Smartweed, etc.). If there is spasm (nausea, vomiting, constipation), warming agents may help but relaxants like Nigella, Peppermint, and Magnesium may assist.

Liver Presentation

Evidence shows that COVID patients are affected in the liver. Moderate cases show some elevated enzymes, but fatal cases often show high levels. One woman (with pre-existing conditions) presented with acute hepatitis as the main symptom.⁵⁹

In Western herbalism the word liver is used in a metaphorical sense to represent the metabolism in general. In Chinese herbalism liver refers to harmonious movement of energy in the system (i.e., tension). Since energy (“qi”) moves blood, the severe symptoms of COVID with the purple tongue and blood stagnation can be associated with the liver. A chief symptom of liver East or West is anger (“binding of the qi”). Intense chills and fever are also associated with the liver and gallbladder. Practitioners may see a combination of these physical and metaphorical symptoms.

Case History posted by acupuncturist Julia Brodzinski, L.Ac.:⁶⁰ “I definitely experienced firsthand how useful Bupleurum is when the cold damp stagnation starts to generate some heat, which I saw in the progression of a very pale, puffy tongue to the development of slightly dusky, slightly purple sides. Also the cycling back and forth between feeling well and then another relapse, between symptoms that worsen and then appear at different times in the day, fevers that come and go—since these are key indications for Bupleurum it really seemed like it was a good match. I hesitated to use it when there were only cold and damp symptoms because I didn’t want to aggravate either the cold or the damp with cold herbs. But once the shift to a deeper level with even just a little heat occurred, it worked amazingly well.

“There were a lot of other herbs in the formula I used, 14 actually, each playing an important role in moving through the stagnant damp, venting the heat, draining the damp, healing inflammation in the lungs, harmonizing the digestion, and also fighting the virus directly. But one challenge I found with using Bupleurum so aggressively is that it can be very depleting, and I had left out the traditional ginseng and jujube dates from the formula that counteract this effect, because of the risk of creating more stagnation and because I wanted to make sure the viral infection was gone before tonifying.”

I have seen a solidly purple tongue only once (“stroke” was the diagnosis, though he got so much better under Sassafras tincture that I concluded he just had “thick blood”—his pulse felt like oatmeal). When I visited the following case on the first day she had purple sides to her tongue (relieved only temporarily with Lomatium and Yarrow). She had far to go.

Case History, Sara Annon: My friend had a brain injury and scar tissue throughout her body and liver from, among other things, a lightning strike. She writes articulately.⁶¹ I left out the cranial symptoms and focused her account on the liver and GI symptoms.

“Horsetail tincture has been able to interrupt the cycle of everincreasing inflammation for me. Just a drop or two several times a day soothes and strengthens my tissues, reducing inflammation and increasing circulation. Then the old, putrid, toxic and coarse matter causing the inflammation could be eliminated, I hoped. To my frustration, my body simply did not seem to have the resources to actually bring things to a head and expel the unwanted material.

“I suspect the irritability of an inflamed vagus nerve was part of the paroxysms of vomiting, especially since there was no nausea involved. I also had not considered the details of how the vagus nerve affects liver function. I know that under stress, my entire digestive tract shuts down, and getting circulation and movement returned is a challenge. But until now, I had not realized that since bile ducts are made of smooth muscle with peristalsis just like the intestines, they would react with acute spasms when the rest of my guts do. Scarring and intra-hepatic blockages were already interfering with the circulation and elimination of blood, lymph, and bile in my liver.

“I celebrated Easter week with ever-larger swellings that could be described as hot boils, cold cysts and sterile abscesses popping up in most uncomfortable places. Swelling in my liver felt especially compromising, putting pressure on some of the major veins returning blood to the heart. By Good Friday, the tension in my body had built to the verge of incapacitating. But on Saturday, the pressure in my head abruptly broke once I stood up. I found myself spitting out mouthfuls of bloody serum and bone grit as I began to move around.

“This time the abrupt paroxysms in my smooth muscles were at least headed in the right direction. Instead of vomiting, swallowing set off sudden spasms and explosive diarrhea, which included the bile backed up in my liver bursting loose and being ejected along with any blockages.

“By noon, the recalcitrant boil on the inside of my upper thigh was about the size and shape of my thumb and it equally suddenly came to a head, painlessly releasing its plentiful quantity of pus. As the sun went down on Easter Sunday, I finally felt like my body would be capable of recuperating from this latest round of health challenges. I find the timing of my recent breakthrough serendipitous.

“Horsetail tincture has helped to reduce the inflammation in my CNS. It is helping my system to repair my nerve sheaths and mucous membranes and strengthen my blood vessels so I have had less leakage from the AV [cranial] malformation. It has also soothed my spleen and kidneys as well as my liver enough that my edema is receding from dangerous extremes.” It is an old friend she had dreamed about in the past.

Herbal liver support includes St. John’s Wort (also antiviral), Dandelion Root, Milk Thistle, Bupleurum, Agrimony, Cinquefoil, Blessed Thistle, and Camomile. Bupleurum is a very important liver remedy in Chinese herbalism. It has a reputation for bringing up deep emotional problems for which people are not always ready.

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). This well-known remedy is an antiviral that stimulates the CP450 pathway in the liver to help break down lipophilic toxins, so it may have an important part to play as an antiviral and a detoxifier. However, it can break down prescription drugs and should not be taken when a person is on many pharmaceuticals, including birth control.

Muscle and Bone Ache

Blood tests show that muscle tissue is being broken down quickly, causing the severe aches and pains typical of the flu that people are experiencing. This creates protein waste products that have to pass through the kidneys, forcing those organs to overwork. The urine may become dark and scanty or light and copious as the kidneys are stressed.

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). This is an old specific for flus and fevers where the bone ache is prominent or even severe, as if someone is breaking your bones. It is also for severe chills and intermittent fever and chill. Because it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, use drop doses (3–5 drops) or the homeopathic low potencies (6x, 6c, etc.). Lizzie reported that Boneset tincture in drop doses were her “main allies” for the “deep chills and fevers and pain like someone was breaking my ribs and spine bones.” Chinese Skullcap stopped the “restlessness” and relaxed her system. She used Usnea (a mucilaginous lichen) when the symptoms were in the lungs.

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic (ANS) powers and regulates the involuntary functions of the body including digestion, circulation, respiration, blood pressure, and kidney and liver function, so it is clear that it is impacted by COVID just as are the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (senses). We treat the autonomic effectively in herbal medicine so this is important. The main nerve in the ANS is the vagus, which innervates the diaphragm—hence lung and stomach tension from excess and weakness from deficiency. I could not find discussion of the autonomic symptoms associated with COVID in scientific literature, but this was evident to practitioners—myself, Christine, and Sara. The passage of the ANS into the parasympathetic mode is required for immune health.

The upper reach of the vagus is in the back of throat and gives rise to some of the irritation felt there. I found this irritation ameliorated by Nigella. Sara commented on the vagal implications on the liver and gallbladder. Lizzie’s description of fluctuating cardiac symptoms suggests vagal irregularity, and Christine commented on the vasovagal symptoms (blood volume changes) she experienced. A nurse Ph.D. described her presenting symptoms as “stuttering” in the respiratory nerves (CNS/ANS).

I believe Nigella is a good, safe agent for the autonomic (in addition to all its other wonder-effects), but not many people (except Middle Easterners) will have this on hand. Herbalists may have Lobelia, but this should not be used by non-professionals. These remedies will often relax the throat, diaphragm, and lungs. If the autonomic is weak, blood volume and heart rate may fluctuate, the person may gasp for breath from a weak diaphragm and compensate with abdominal muscles (which become sore). A remedy for both vagal tension and loss of tone is Agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) or its interchangeable cousin Cinquefoil (Potentilla spp.). In non-COVID presentations in years past I have seen Agrimony work for “tortured to capture the breath,” which is always accompanied by abdominal breathing.

Detoxification Headache and Bodyache

Although ignored in conventional medicine, everyone knows that a food, alcohol, or drug binge will be followed by a “hangover” with a dull, achy headache and achiness generally. This shows that the liver (and cells) are backed up with the job of catabolism or detoxification. This can be readily improved with herbs. Homeopathic Nux vomica 30x or 30c is excellent for these states.

Kidney Presentation

Death from kidney failure has not been reported, but harder work for the kidneys is a physiological necessity when tissue is being broken down and proteins have to be processed through them. In Chinese herbalism the kidneys are responsible for “grasping the qi in the lungs,” or increasing the strength of inhalation. This seems to be a factor in COVID. Once a practitioner is trained to look for this, he or she will see it all the time.

Nettle. Judy Lieblein writes: “A lot of people have been craving Nettle lately, including people who generally don’t drink it. I’ve been adding Linden so the mix isn’t so drying. Linden is also beneficial for colds, flus, and helps with throats irritated from coughing.”⁶² Linden flowers are mucilaginous. This seems to be a remedy people are attracted to in the recuperation stage, when their kidneys are stressed. I have used Nettles in the past for sleep apnea; it increases iron and hemoglobin so the lungs can grasp more oxygen, and strengthening the kidneys—but is therefore drying to some.

Case History, Jessie Belden: The Medicine Tree herb store, Minneapolis, writes, “The kidneys have been huge for me in this illness. Week one my kidneys were constantly aching—like they were being attacked! I started Nettle infusions with a pinch of marshmallow and licorice root and they were all better...still though, the trouble with inhalation persisted. I have been on Cordyceps since the beginning, but I have recently upped the dose and it seems to be supporting the breath more.”⁶³

Recuperation

Most of the advice here would be similar from one herbalist to another: Patients should utilize easily digested, strengthening herbs. Also, take a look at kidney and liver remedies if there is difficulty with detoxification. Astragalus and Codonopsis are in the Chinese formula for recovery. Gruel. Oatmeal. Slippery Elm Bark. Bioplasma (twelve cell salts). Gentle circulatory stimulants are indicated. A number of people have felt relief from Angelica. I personally felt noticeable improvement from good quality, range-fed liver. Smartweed helped both Titou and myself.

Recuperation, Titou Phommachanh (continued): Katie Walsh relates: “His mother couldn’t visit him directly but she instructed that he have Smartweed, which was growing in the garden. I picked this—it was the pink-flowered kind with an acrid taste—and gave him that in a Laotian broth from his mother (chicken, rice, noodles, scallions, etc.). That was all he wanted; he would eat it day and night. My cousin (his wife) would get him everything he wanted; this was all he wanted.”⁶⁴

Recuperation, Lizzie (continued): “Little update, today my lungs feel like they are my own again—yay, no more breathlessness from talking or just breathing little by little shifting, changing.

“Last night in my journeys I was met by Bear and taken to the Arctic northern lands where he dug up roots for me: Burdock and Angelica—new-to-me allies for this next phase of healing. He said they were for replenishment, that this virus had deeply depleted [me], that my blood needed both cleansing and rebuilding, that they would be strengthening and the allies needed for this phase of healing and transformation. I’ve never read about Burdock Root so I just did—how utterly perfect for my dried-out atrophied now-toxic headachey-feeling self!

“Bear was very stern and clear that for ‘those for whom this virus has gone deep, the period of convalescence is as vital a phase as any of the other phases and to be taken seriously. The virus depletes deeply, and transforms energy bodies and actual bodies, requiring deep deep sustained rest to replenish and adapt and realign into new form.’

“Bear also said that root medicine was needed at all stages but especially at convalescence: Oatstraw and Borage and other lovely things would not go deep enough, and again he lined up Burdock, Angelica, and added Astragalus for me, and nodded approvingly at my newfound craving for big bowls of Oats. And to keep homeopathic Cinchona close . . . and Cactus . . . still steadying my heart back to a balanced drumbeat, keeping her, the Queen of the Night [Cactus or Selenocereus grandiflors], and Hawthorn by my side a while ’til I am strong.”

Smartweed (Polygonum spp.). Look for the species with pink flowers and a peppery taste—it is also called Water Pepper. One species is used in South Asian cooking. This is a fine stimulant, clears the mucosa of the respiratory and GI tracts. I personally benefited a great deal from this herb in my recuperation.

Burdock Root (Arctium lappa). This “Bear Medicine” provides oil that rebuilds the adrenal cortex (we think) and promotes steroid hormone production. It also helps with digestion and metabolism of fats and oils, according to herbal experience.

Angelica Root (Angelica archangelica, Angelica spp.). I’ve used this in cases where the lungs were full of water, the mind dull, the eyes bleary, after a bad bronchitis. It seems to improve stamina.

Oatstraw, Milky Oat Seed, and Oatmeal (Avena sativa). These are extremely convalescent in reputation and common experience. The first is more mineralizing; the latter two are somewhat mucilaginous (sticky and milky), also rich in minerals (if properly grown). People who are not diabetic may want to add maple syrup or some natural sweetening agent. Butter will help to replenish oils.

Contraindications

Some people cannot take immune tonics, blood-thinners, or St. John’s Wort, so check for contraindications. Some even have an allergy to Garlic. Always test a remedy by taking a small dose first (this would even be a good idea with pharmaceutical drugs).

CONCLUSION

The article in National Geographic suggested that the intense dreams experienced by so many with COVID are due to social isolation and boredom. This is typical of conventional thinking, which ignores the subtle side of human existence. If we do not record our dreams, visions, hallucinations, and sensations from COVID, who will? I consider my article something of an historical document recording a few of these experiences. But it is, of course, practical.

Many warnings against alternative remedies used for coronavirus have appeared in the media. The mantra is repeated over and over that they are “unproven.” That means they have not been subjected to the medical “gold standard”: the randomized, controlled trial. (That is not true of Vitamin D, which really should be recommended to everyone.) This approach ignores experience and even established pharmacology. Herbs have been used for millennia, and their properties are known and described. Ours is a different paradigm. Our “proof” is experiential and written on the health of our spirits, souls, and bodies. I thank a kind Creator and Mother Nature for these timeless healing agents.

MATTHEW WOOD has been a practicing herbalist for more than thirty-five years. He received an M.S. in herbal medicine from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, accredited by the University of Wales. He is the author of eight books on herbal medicine and a well-known lecturer in the field, now online at Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism.

NOTES

1. Stephen Harrod Buhner, “Plant-Based Interventions for Coronavirus (SARSCOV-2),” Stephen Harrod Buhner (blog), May 17, 2020, www.stephenharrodbuhner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/coronavirus-1.pdf.

2. A Bruce Boraas, “The better the elimination the better the interior,” March 31, 2020, comment on Matthew Wood, “My updated report. Very long,” https://www.facebook.com/matthew.wood.5891004/posts/2820096798059618/.

3. “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis with a New Coronavirus Infection,” compiled by Greta Young Jie De, translated by Jen Ciccolella, website of Pearls of Wisdom Chinese Medicine, March 27, 2020, https://pearlschinesemedicine.com/pow_articles/diagnosis-and-treatment-of-pneumonitis-with-a-new-coronavirus-infection-trial-version-4-compiled-and-translated-by-dr-greta-young-jie-de-ph-d/.

4. Liu Lihong, “Report from the Front Line in Wuhan,” translated by Heiner Fruehauf, Classical Chinese Medicine, May 8, 2020, http://classicalchinesemedicine.org/report-from-front-line-wuhan.

5. Chen Juan, Huang Di, Wang Shi Qi, and Cai Xiang, “Medical Records from a Young and Brave Female Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor on Fighting the COVID-19,” pt. 3, compiled and translated by John Chen, eLotus, March 11, 2020, https://www.elotus.org/article/medical-records-young-and-brave-female-traditional-chinese-medicine-tcm-doctor-fighting-covi.

6. NawlinsAg, “Clinical Pearls Covid-19 for ER practitioners,” TexAgs forum, March 26, 2020, https://texags.com/forums/84/topics/3102444.

7. “Covid 19-Observations and Plant Medicine Notes, © Judy Lieblein 4/4/2020,” PDF. Another herbalist with extensive experience is Michael Cottingham, with whom I corresponded early in the pandemic. We saw eye-to-eye on the herbs necessary for this pandemic. “Matthew Wood,” Facebook page, March 2020.

8. Cassandra Willyard, “Corona blood clot mystery intensifies,” Nature, May 8, 2020, https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01403-8.

9. “Blood thinners being used to mitigate risk of clots in COVID-19 Patients,” CBS News, May 26, 2020; https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-blood-clots-covid-19-symptom-strokes-young-people.

10. Christen A. Johnson, “Placentas in COVID-positive pregnant women showinjury with blood circulation and clotting,” Chicago Tribune, May 22, 2020; https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-life coronavirus-pregnant-women-placenta-injury-tt-0522 20200522-znymzx45arg6bb2nnpva6tsrz4-story.html.

11. Will Pass, “Coronavirus Updates: Patients with Covid-19 may face risk of liver injury,” MDedge News, March 19, 2020, https://www.mdedge.com/chestphysician/article/219309/coronavirus-updates/patients-covid-19-may-face-risk-liver-injury.

12. NawlinsAg,“Clinical Pearls.”

13. Ashley Collman, “CNN anchor Chris Cuomo says the coronavirus has made him lose 13 pounds in 3 days, hallucinate his dead father, and chip a tooth from the chills,” Business Insider, April 3, 2020, https://www.businessinsider.com/chris-cuomo-coronavirus-lost-13-pounds-2020-4.

14. Rebecca Renner, “The pandemic is giving people vivid, unusual dreams. Here is why,” National Geographic, April 15, 2020, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/coronavirus-pandemic-is-giving-people-vivid-unusual-dreams-here-is-why.

15. Email message to author, March 30, 2020.

16. Peter Jackson-Main, “The Sherpas in Nepal apparently use garlic to enable oxygen absorption at high altitude,” commenting on Matthew Wood, Facebook page, March 2020.

17. John J Cannell, Michael Zasloff, Cedric F Garland, Robert Scragg, and Edward Giovannucci, “On the epidemiology of influenza,” Virology Journal 5, no. 29 (February 25, 2008), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1743-422X-5-29.

18. Scott A Read, Stephanie Obeid, Chantelle Ahlenstiel, and Golo Ahlenstiel, “The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity,” Adv Nutr. 10, no. 4 (July 2019): 696–710, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628855/.

19. R. Derwanda and M. Scholz, “Does zinc supplementation enhance the clinical efficacy of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine to win today’s battle against COVID-19?” Med Hypothesis 142, no. 109815 (September 2020), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7202847/.

20. Email message to author, June 22, 2020.

21. Himani Chandna, “Modi govt again advises homoeopathy for COVID19, suggests sipping water boiled with tulsi,” The Print, March 18, 2020, https://theprint.in/health/modi-govt-again-advises-homoeopathy-for-covid-19-suggests-sipping-water-boiled-with-tulsi/383363/.

22. Julia Graves, “Flower Essences and Coronavirus,” Green Tara Flower Essences (blog), http://lilycircle.com/flower-essences-and-coronavirus/.

23. Personal communication with author, March 30, 2020.

24. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “What to Do If You Are Sick,” website of CDC, May 8, 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html.

25. Hilda Vargas-Robles, Karla Fabiola Castro-Ochoa, Alí Francisco CitalánMadrid, and Michael Schnoor, “Beneficial effects of nutritional supplements on intestinal epithelial barrier functions in experimental colitis models in vivo,” World J Gastroenterol 25, no. 30 (August 14, 2019): 4181–98, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31435172/.

26. James M. May and Fiona E. Harrison, “Role of Vitamin C in the Function of the Vascular Endothelium,” Antioxid Redox Signal 19, no. 17 (December 10, 2013): 2068–83, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3869438/.

27. Matthew Wood and Phyllis D. Light, “Respiratory System and Respiratory Immunity,” website of Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism, March 28, 2020, https://www.matthewwoodinstituteofherbalism.com/courses/respiratory-system-and-respiratory-immunity.

28. Young Jie De, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis.”

29. Young Jie De, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis.”

30. Young Jie De, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis.”

31. Young Jie De, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis.”

32. “Science & Health” section, May 17, 2020; “An Unpredictable Evolution.”

33. Yanqing Ding, Huijun Wang, Hong Shen et al., “The Clinical Pathology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): A Report From China,” J Pathol 200, no. 3 (July 2003): 282–89, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12845623/.

34. Young Jie De, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pneumonitis.”

35. Email message to author, March 30, 2020.

36. Email message to author, April 4, 2020.

37. Chandna, “Modi govt again advises homoeopathy.”

38. Sen Jo et al., “Characteristics of flavonoids as potent MERS-CoV 3C-like protease inhibitors,” Chemical Biology & Drug Design 94, no. 6 (Aug 22, 2019): 2023–30, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cbdd .13604.

39. Email message to author, April 8, 2020.

40. Phyllis Light, “Using a combination of Bayberry, Yarrow, and Cayenne,” May 2020, comment on Matthew Wood, Facebook page.

41. “Spiritual Implications of Coronavirus,” Facebook group.

42. Ashley Louszko, Knez Walker, Deborah Kim, and Ashley Riegle, “Promises of hope during coronavirus pandemic as people who fell seriously ill begin recovery,” ABC News, April 3, 2020, https://abcnews.go.com/US/promises-hope-coronavirus-pandemic-people-fell-ill-begin/story?id=69966152.

43. Yeshun Wu et al., “Nervous system involvement after infection with COVID-19 and other coronaviruses,” Brain Behav Immun 87, (July 2020): 18–22, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146689/.

44. Facebook direct message to author, May 22, 2020.

45. Mohamed Labib Saleh, “Immunomodulaty and therapeutic properties of the Nigella sativa L. seed,” Int Immunopharmacol 5, no. 13-14 (December 2005): 1749–70, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16275613/.

46. Lihong, “Report from the Front Line.”

47. “Spiritual Implications of Coronavirus,” April 2020.

48. Phyllis Light and William LeSassier, personal communication with author.

49. “Spiritual Implications of Coronavirus,” March 2020.

50. Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue, personal communication with author.

51. Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue and others, comment on Matthew Wood, Facebook page, March 2020.

52. Markian Hawryluk, “Heart Damage in COVID-19 Patients Puzzles Doctors,”Scientific American, April 6, 2020, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heart-damage-in-covid-19-patients-puzzles-doctors/.

53. “Spiritual Implications of Coronavirus,” March 2020.

54. “Spiritual Implications of Coronavirus,” March 2020.

55. Karyn Sanders, personal communication with author.

56. Amanda Dilday, “American Holly ~ What Love Is and What Love Is Not,” December 9, 2019, episode 46 in Whispers: Plant Spirit Medicine, podcast, https://anchor.fm/amanda-dilday/episodes/Episode-46-American-Holly--What-Love-Is-and-What-Love-Is-Not-e9e3o7.

57. Jinyang Gu, Bing Han, and Jian Wang, “COVID-19: Gastrointestinal Manifestations and Potential Fecal–Oral Transmission,” Gastroenterology 158, no. 6 (May 1, 2020): 1518–19, https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(20)30281-X/fulltext

58. Fei Xiao et al., “Evidence for Gastrointestinal Infection of SARS-CoV-2,”Gastroenterology 158, no. 6 (May 1, 2020): 1831–33, https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(20)30282-1/fulltext/.

59. Marcia Frellick, “See acute hepatitis? Consider COVID-19, N.Y. case suggests,” The Hospitalist, April 9, 2020, https://www.the-hospitalist.org/hospitalist/article/220524/coronavirus-updates/see-acute-hepatitis-consider-covid-19-ny-case?channel=63993/.

60. “Spiritual Implications of Coronavirus,” March 2020.

61. Sara Annon, “Coronavirus Issues,” PDF (April 2020).

62. “Covid 19-Observations and Plant Medicine Notes,” PDF, ©Judy Lieblein 4/4/2020.

63. Jessie Belden, as The Medicine Tree Herbal Pharmacy, comment on Matthew Wood, Facebook page, March 2020.

64. Katie Walsh, phone call with author, April 5, 2020.